Towards Reconciliation: 10 Calls to Action to Natural Scientists Working in Canada
Carmen Wong1, Kate Ballegooyen2, Lawrence Ignace3, Mary Jane (Gùdia) Johnson4, Heidi Swanson5
1Kluane National Park and Reserve, Parks Canada, 205-300 Main St., Whitehorse, Yukon, Y1A 2B5, 2Kluane First Nation, PO Box 20, Burwash Landing, Yukon, Y0B 1V0, 3 Lac des Mille Lacs First Nation, 14 Boswell Crescent, Whitehorse, Yukon, Y1A 4T3, 4Kluane First Nation, PO Box 20, Burwash Landing, Yukon, Y0B 1V0, 5 Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Ave. W, Waterloo Ontario, N2L 3G1
Carmen.wong@canada.ca
In 2015, after documenting testimonies from Indigenous survivors of the residential school system in Canada, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission released 94 Calls to Action to enable reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians. Without personal connections to Indigenous communities, many Canadians fail to grasp the depth of intergenerational impacts of residential schools and associated systemic racism. Consequently, reconciliation remains an elusive concept. Here we outline 10 Calls to Action to natural scientists to enable reconciliation in their work. We focus on natural scientists because a common connection to the land should tie the social license of natural scientists more closely to Indigenous communities than currently exists. We also focus on natural sciences because of the underrepresentation of Indigenous peoples in this field. We draw on existing guidelines and our experiences in northern Canada. Our 10 Calls to Action are triggered by frustration. The authors have witnessed examples where natural scientists treat Indigenous communities with blatant disrespect or with ignorance of Indigenous rights. These 10 Calls to Action challenge the scientific community to recognize that reconciliation requires a new way of conducting natural science, one that includes and respects Indigenous communities, rights and knowledge leading to better scientific and community outcomes.